First Samuel chapter 10. Last time we saw where Samuel or Saul rather went to look for some lost donkeys and in the providence of God, that is how the king of Israel would be identified. We made it through chapter 10 to verse 16. After Saul had returned home, he told his uncle what had happened.
He did not mention the matter of the kingdom to his uncle. He did not tell him what Samuel had said. Basically, we have three stages in Saul's accession to the throne. First, there was the private anointing of Saul by Samuel.
We see that in chapter 10 at verse 1. This second aspect is found at the end of chapter 10, where it's the public recognition by Lot. Sort of a sort of an election, but by a lot, we know the lot is cast into the lap, but it's every decision is from the Lord. Certainly that is the case here.
And then there is the public affirmation before the Lord at the end of chapter 11. in verses 14 and 15. So there's not several different accounts of different things. It's all the same thing, but it's from different angles. As I said, a private anointing, public recognition that has more of a political element at the end of chapter 10, and then the public affirmation before the Lord at the end of chapter 11.
That would be more religious in nature because they are assembled specifically in Gilgal and it mentions twice in verse 15 that they are before the Lord. So this is the accession of Saul to the throne of Israel. So I'll just begin reading in chapter 10 at verse 17, we'll read to the end of chapter 11. Then Samuel called the people together to the Lord at Mizpah. and said to the children of Israel, thus says the Lord God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt and delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all kingdoms and from those who oppressed you.
But you have today rejected your God, who himself saved you from all your adversities and your tribulations. And you have said to him, No, set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and by your clans. And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was chosen.
When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was chosen. and Saul the son of Kish was chosen. But when they sought him, he could not be found. Therefore they inquired of the Lord further, has the man come here yet? And the Lord answered, there he is hidden among the equipment.
So they ran and brought him from there. And when he stood among the people, he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward. And Samuel said to all the people, Do you see him whom the Lord has chosen, that there is no one like him among all the people? So all the people shouted and said, Long live the king.
Then Samuel explained to the people the behavior of royalty and wrote it in a book and laid it up before the Lord. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house. And Saul also went home to Gibeah, and valiant men went with him, whose hearts God had touched. But some rebels said, How can this man save us?
So they despised him and brought him no presents, but he held his peace. Then Nahash the Ammonite came up and encamped against Jabesh Gilead. And all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, make a covenant with us and we will serve you. And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, on this condition I will make a covenant with you that I may put out all your right eyes and bring reproach on all Israel.
And the elders of Jabesh said to him, hold off for seven days that we may send messengers to all the territory of Israel. And then if there is no one to save us, we will come out to you. So the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and told the news in the hearing of the people. And all the people lifted up their voices and wept.
Now there was Saul coming behind the herd from the field. And Saul said, what troubles the people that they weep? And they told him the words of the men of Jabesh. Then the spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard this news and his anger was greatly aroused.
So he took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hands of messengers saying, whoever does not go out with Saul and Samuel to battle, so it shall be done to his oxen. And the fear of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out with one consent. When he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were 300,000, and the men of Judah 30,000. And they said to the messengers who came, thus you shall say to the men of Jabesh-Gilead, tomorrow by the time the sun is hot, you shall have help.
Then the messengers came and reported it to the men of Jabesh, and they were glad. Therefore the men of Jabesh said, tomorrow we will come out to you. You may do with us whatever seems good to you. So it was on the next day that Saul put the people in three companies, and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch and killed Ammonites until the heat of the day.
And it happened that those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together. Then the people said to Samuel, who is he who said, shall Saul reign over us? Bring the men that we may put them to death. But Saul said, not a man shall be put to death this day, for today the Lord has accomplished salvation in Israel.
And Samuel said to the people, come, let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom there. So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before the Lord in Gilgal. There they made sacrifices of peace offerings before the Lord, and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly. Amen.
Introduction and Outline
Well, as we consider this particular section, we'll look at it in four considerations. First, the review of their situation in Chapter 10, verses 17 to 19. Secondly, the identification of the king, verses 20 to 27. Third, the victory over the Ammonites in Chapter 11, verses 1 to 13. and then the renewal of the kingdom in chapter 11 verses 14 and 15.
So what we have here is the definitive transition between the judgeship in Israel to the monarchy in Israel. Certainly, we see a pattern. Remember that when Saul, or Samuel rather, according to 1 Samuel 7, when it says that he judged Israel, just on the heels of that, there was a great victory under Samuel's leadership. Certainly it came from the Lord, but the same thing is true here.
Saul is recognized publicly as the man that would be king. And then in chapter 11, this is his first war. He goes to battle against the Ammonites, he cleans up, and certainly this gives him esteem in the eyes of the men of Israel. Consolidates power, they want to see him on the throne. and everybody is for him at this particular juncture.
Review of Israel's Situation
So let's look first at the review of their situation. Notice in verses 17 to 19. This is a happy occasion for Israel. I mean, if we were to think through it, it would be sort of a ceremony, sort of a time of reflection, a time to consider, because Israel had cried out for a king.
God said that he would give them a king and so this is the public or the formal election or declaration that the king was selected and would be appointed. But notice what happens in this particular situation. It says that Samuel called the people together to the Lord at Mizpah and said to the children of Israel, thus says the Lord God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt and delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all kingdoms and from those who oppressed you. So far, so good.
This is a good reminder, a good review. This is something Israel no doubt got tired of hearing. But then he tells them in verse 19, but you have today rejected your God, who himself saved you from all your adversities and your tribulations. And you have said to him, no, set a king over us.
So what Samuel is doing, or God, through the prophet is indicating to them the grace that he has manifested, the grace that he has displayed, and he is showing them once again their sin. So it is a public spectacle, a time for celebration in some respects, but it's also a time for God to tell the people what manner of sin they have committed and to call them to repentance. It was, in fact, a happy occasion. Israel is getting what it wanted.
But the Lord continually reminds Israel of their history in order to provoke them to repentance. Because a truly happy occasion is a period in time when the people of God humble themselves and repent before the Lord and get things by the grace of God in order. So this is yet one more attempt by God to show the people their sin and to cause them to cry out for mercy and for grace. But one of the things that I want us to see and we'll finish up with tonight is that God nevertheless is gracious.
I would never tell anyone, go out and sin because God's going to bless you. But when we reflect upon the Old Testament, we must observe that pattern. The children of Israel very often sin and rebel against God. And yet, what does God do?
God delivers them. God gives them grace. God blesses them. We see that God is committed to His covenant people.
God will prosper His covenant people. And God, all of the time, does so through very imperfect means. You have an imperfect people. you have an imperfect king, you have an imperfect church in the New Covenant, and nevertheless Christ has promised to build it, and that the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. So do not take what I'm saying to suggest that let's go out and sin because God's going to bless us anyway.
But no, I'm not saying that, but I am suggesting that even in the midst of the imperfection that we see around us in the life of Christ Church, we can't forget the reality that he is building it. He will see it through to completion and he will bring it into the eschaton. So God, the Lord through Samuel provokes them once again to consider the fact that they have rejected him, that they have rebelled against him. The purpose being is that they would repent before him.
But of course, They don't. So notice what happens. Now, therefore, present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and by your clans. And
Identification of the King
that brings us to consider the identification of the king. We've already mentioned the stages of a succession, a private anointing, a public recognition by lot, and then the public affirmation before the Lord.
Election by Lot
Notice this idea of by lot. Verse 20. And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot, literally. So they were casting lots to identify the son of Benjamin, or the son, rather, of Kish, that would be the Benjamite that would rule over the nation of Israel.
This was the means by which God was evidencing and demonstrating to the nation the man that he had chosen the man who had already been privately anointed by Samuel. And so when he comes to the forefront, or when they make this identification, notice that Saul is now functioning like the donkeys in chapter 9. It's pretty intriguing, isn't it? The whole account with Saul begins with lost donkeys.
Saul has to go out and find donkeys. Now when Israel comes to identify their king, where is he? He's lost. They can't find him, right?
It's kind of an interesting passage. Notice, when he had caused the tribe of Benjamin, verse 21, to come near by their families, The family of Mattrey was chosen, and Saul the son of Kish was chosen, but when they sought him, he could not be found. Therefore, they inquired of the Lord further, has the man come here yet? And the Lord answered, there he is, hidden among the equipment.
It's intriguing, isn't it? I mean, that's just a bit bizarre. He's already found the donkeys. He's already been found by Samuel.
He has been privately anointed by Samuel. Now the entirety of the nation is being brought into this particular decision by God. And when they've identified that it's Saul, the son of Kish, Saul's nowhere to be found. He's playing like one of those donkeys.
And if we ask the question, why? Why was he hidden among the equipment?
Saul Hidden Among the Equipment
I think John Gill says it the best. You'll probably hear me say that a lot in our times together in Bible study or in preaching, but I think he nails it. He says, and among these baggages, Saul hid himself, hoping that if he was not found, they would proceed to another choice. So free from ambition was he, and such was his modesty.
Probably the case. He didn't have ambition. He was a farmer. He was a Benjamite.
This wasn't his job. This isn't what he was trained for. This wasn't something that was peculiarly desirable to him. Gil says, nor does this seem to be affected and dissembled but real.
In other words, he's not putting on this humility. He's not putting on this freedom from ambition. Gil says, it doesn't seem to be affected and dissembled but real. Though afterwards, when he was settled in the kingdom, he did not care to part with it and sought to kill David, whom he looked upon as his rival.
I think when we see this passage, I think all in all, Saul starts off very, very well. I mean, in chapter 11, the Spirit comes upon him, he's got an anger that's aroused, and he goes and he does what a good judge, or a good king rather, does. In fact, there's a parallel between Saul and Samson. It is said that the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon Saul.
It's the same sort of language we find with reference to Samson. What was Samson good at? Samson was good at killing Philistines. What was Saul good at?
Killing Ammonites until the heat of the day. I'm going to argue that the New King James doesn't translate verse 25 in chapter 10 the best, but it certainly nails that passage when it says they were killing Ammonites until the heat of the day. Anyway, Saul begins well, but it doesn't take long for him to decline. But I think what Gil goes on to say also indicates why Saul is hidden among the equipment.
He says, there were many things which now concurred that made him uneasy and unwilling to assume the government of the people, partly the envy and ill will of some of them. The end of verse 27, there's the sons of Belial that reject him. Probably already he had heard rumblings. He had already heard these sorts of things that some men were not going to accept him as the king.
Would you want to take an office or a position or a job where you knew that people despised you and didn't want you there? You know, I've often wondered how some elected officials stay in power when they realize that a majority of them don't want them in there. I've thought that with pastors. 90% of the congregation want you to go, it's probably time that you should leave. I can't imagine wanting to be a part of that.
So he says, partly the envy and ill will of some of them, which he must expect, chiefly the sense he had of his own unfitness for such an office, being of a mean family and having had so mean an education and so little knowledge of the maxims of government. He didn't know what to do. I mean, imagine if somebody said, you're going to be king of Canada tomorrow. I'd probably hide among the equipment, too.
You'd probably have to come fetch me out and look for me. He says, and besides, must at once, as soon as on the throne, enter into a war with the Ammonites. Remember when the people cried out for the king, it was because they wanted one to deliver them from their enemies. Saul knows this.
If you knew that you were going to be king of Canada tomorrow and you had to wage war against the US, that might make you want to hide among the equipment. He goes on to say, but what might most of all distress him, he perceived by Samuel's speech to the people that the affair of a king was displeasing to the Lord. Imagine that. Samuel gets up at every step of the way and says, the thing that you have asked is terrible.
It is a rejection of Yahweh. Your choice of a human king indicates your rebellion against your God. Would you want to say, I'll be that king? No, you would be the absolute token of the rebellion of the people against the God of heaven and earth.
I think Gil really answers this question very successfully. And then he says, though he condescended to grant the people's request, and therefore what comfort and happiness could he expect in such a situation? You would hide among the equipment as well, and that is precisely what happens with Saul. Now notice, they fetch him, they bring him back, and when he stood among the people, he was taller than any of the people.
From his shoulders upward, Samuel said to all the people, Do you see him, whom the Lord has chosen, that there is no one like him among all the people? So all the people shouted and said, long live the king.
Ordinances of the Kingdom
Now note what Samuel does in verse 25. Samuel explained to the people the behavior of royalty. This sounds a bit too much like what we found in chapter eight. If you go back to chapter eight for just a moment.
Remember when the people ask for a king, God says give them a king, but you need to warn them what manner of king they are going to get. And so what Samuel does is he describes the practice of kings, probably the pagan kings around them. those same pagan kings that the Israelite king would ape and would function as, one that would exploit their families, one that would enslave them through taxation, one that would eventually cause them to cry out in anguish because of the severe hardships that they faced. And so notice in chapter 8 in verse 9, Now therefore heed their voice, however you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them. And then in verse 11, This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you.
Go back to 1025. This is not that same sort of a thing. What Samuel is doing is writing down the rights and duties of kingship. The ESV and the NIV translate it this way.
The NASB has ordinances of the kingdom. I think that's probably the best It's not just what the king is supposed to do in his person, it's how he's to function as a king over Israel. The old King James, I think, is just as excellent, the manner of the kingdom. The idea is that Samuel takes pen to paper to write down law.
This is what's going to differentiate the king of Israel from the kings of the nations around them. Davis says it this way, he says, the rights and duties of the kingship is Yahweh's law regulating how the king is to conduct himself. I should think it contained provisions very much like those in Deuteronomy 17, 14 to 20. Israel's king is not actually a king but a vice king himself under the law of Yahweh, Israel's true king.
Royal submission to that law should eliminate tyranny and abuse. So verse 25 isn't this is the way Saul is going to behave. Verse 25 is this is the way God says Saul is to behave toward the kingdom and the kingdom then has responsibility toward the king as well. These are the rights and duties of kingship.
The ordinances of the kingdom the manner of the kingdom. In other words, God does not permit the monarch in Israel to rule according to his own whim. The king of Israel does not rule according to the nations around them. The king of Israel is to operate according to the law of God Most High.
That's what's in view in verse 25. So he writes the book, or he writes it in the book, and laid it up before the Lord, and Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house. Saul also went home to Gibeah, and valiant men went with him, whose hearts God had touched. So there is support for Saul.
There are men that want to see him on the throne. There are men that want to support him in this particular effort.
Opposition to the Throne
But as I mentioned earlier, in verse 27, but some rebels said, literally sons of Belial, worthless men, wicked men, how can this man save us? So they despised him and brought him no presents, but he held his peace. You can kind of see their logic. I mean, I can't agree with their rebel spirit when God the Lord has made it evident who the king's going to be, but how can this man save us?
He's a Benjamite. He's from the most insignificant tribe. I mean, just a few weeks ago he was chasing donkeys through the countryside. He certainly doesn't seem to be the sort of man that can lead us into victory.
He certainly doesn't seem to be the sort of man that can govern our our civil polity, he doesn't seem to be the sort of man that has our best interests in his hands and is able to execute faithfully the kingdom. So you see there's opposition to the throne already before we even get to the next section.
Victory Over the Ammonites
That brings us to consider the victory over the Ammonites, verses 1 to 13.
The Threat of Nahash
Notice first the threat. The threat. Nahash the Ammonite came up and encamped against Jabesh Gilead. and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, make a covenant with us and we will serve you." Now remember that Jabesh Gilead is a Transjordanian tribe, or it's a city rather in the Transjordanian area. So that means it's on the east side of the River Jordan.
Remember Gad Reuben and East Manassar, the half tribe of Manassar, are on the east side of the River Jordan. The rest of the tribes are on the west side of the River Jordan. Guess who happens to be on the east side of the River Jordan as well? Those nasty Ammonites.
You see over on the coast on the west, that's where the Philistines are, and they are a threat to those coastal tribes. But over on the east side of the river Jordan, you've got Ammon. You've got Nahash. And he was a particularly cruel and vicious king of the Ammonites.
So Jabesh Gilead is in a very vulnerable position, being so close in proximity to Ammon. Note the aggression of Nahash. He comes, he encamps against them, and then he gives them the seven days. It's almost as if he's playing games with them.
You go ahead, you find a delivery, you find someone to save you, or else I'm going to come and deal with you. It's interesting because one of the scrolls that were found in cave four, one of the Dead Sea Scrolls, gives a bit more information in this particular context. It speaks of Nahash The king of the Ammonites had been oppressing the Gadites and the Reubenites. Remember, those are two east side tribes, east side, east of the river Jordan.
We're not in Chicago here. Now Nahash, the king of the Ammonites, had been oppressing the Gadites and the Reubenites grievously, gouging out the right eye of each of them and allowing Israel no deliverer. Kind of makes sense of what he says with reference to their desire to make a covenant. It's interesting.
You know what? Make a covenant literally is cut a covenant. And the reason why it's cut a covenant is because most of the times when a covenant was made, animals were cut into pieces as a means by which that covenant was ratified. Remember when God comes to Abraham and he makes the covenant in Genesis 15 and he cuts the animals in pieces and he puts them on either side?
And then God, visibly represented by that torch, walks between those two things. Well, there's significance in that ceremony. What it means is, is that the parties who walk between those animals, if either one of them reneges on the conditions of the covenant, then what happens to those animals is being hoped to happen to them. In other words, if me and Jonathan walk through there, what we are symbolically saying is that if I break covenant, then what happened to these animals in terms of them being split in two, may that happen to me.
Now, of course, the beauty in that situation in Genesis 15 is that it's God alone. Not God and Abraham, it's God alone that passes between those parts. It's beautiful, absolutely beautiful. It is a unilateral covenant made by God for the good of his people.
Anyways, so the people of Jabesh Gilead say to Nahash, we want to cut a covenant with you. Nahash was all too willing to. He was going to cut a covenant with their right eyes. Now the reason why he wanted their right eyes is because typically when you went into battle, you held your shield with your left arm.
And when you held your shield with your left arm, you didn't have a left eye, right? You couldn't see through your shield. So if he takes out your right eye, you are successfully incapacitated from engaging in any military battle. It was a means by which he subjugated the people that he conquered.
Anyways, Back to this quote from that Qumran fragment. No men of the Israelites who were across the Jordan remained whose right eye, Nahash, king of the Ammonites, had not gouged out. But 7,000 men had escaped from the Ammonites and entered into Jabesh Gilead. Now Davis says that Josephus seems to be aware of this particular textual tradition.
Is that rain? Wow. It was so nice today. What happened?
Okay, thank you. Anyway, so notice, they say, make a covenant with us and we will serve you. Now what's going on here? Samora explains, the phrase serve you shows that Nahash requested a vassal treaty in which the people of Jabesh would pay tributes and serve Nahash while receiving Nahash's protection against the attacks from other foreign powers.
You see, this was quite common. A vassal treaty was when a nation would go in, subjugate a people, make them pay basically protection money and tribute and those sorts of things. So then that government would have rule over them. They would essentially be slaves to them.
So J. Bash Gillian makes this proffer. We want to make a covenant with you and we will serve you. So Nahash offers the conditions or the means by which he will enter into covenant with them.
On this condition I will make a covenant with you that I may put out all your right eyes and bring reproach on all Israel. Now how's that? for terms. How is that for a covenant? Certainly not one I would be willing to say.
Let's do this right now. So he wants to cut a covenant via their right eyes to render them militarily useless. But notice what else he says that I may put out all your right eyes and bring reproach on all Israel. He's a true pagan that despises the God of Israel.
He is a true hater of the covenant people. He wants to bring reproach on all Israel. He wants to mock them. He wants to abuse them.
He wants to subjugate them. He wants to ridicule them. He wants to make them look bad. Certainly his God, probably Chemosh, would be the victor over this particular exchange.
There's probably a lot more going on than just having tribute and payment and those sorts of things. It was the contest between their gods and what Nahash wants is utter victory. So the proposal is offered by Jabesh Gilead, hold off for seven days that we may send messengers to all the territory of Israel and then if there is no one to save us, we will come out to you. Deliver us, the same language applied to Othniel and Ehud in the book of Judges.
A lot of similarities in chapter 11 with Judges. at any rate, so they make this statement to Neha, she's like, yeah, go ahead. find someone in all the territory of Israel, bring it on. I think Nahash is a particularly nasty fellow that really wants to bring reproach upon Israel.
The Messengers and Saul's Response
So then they dispatch messengers in verses 4 to 10. First the messengers travel from Jabesh Gilead to Gibeah. Now the text does not indicate that they went elsewhere. The text does not indicate that they went other places, but they certainly went to the best place they could have, but in the Book of Judges there is a connection between Jabesh Gilead and Gibeah as well.
But thankfully they go to the hometown of the newly crowned king, King Saul. So they tell what happened in the hearing of the people and all the people lifted up their voices and wept. Pretty accurate response. If Nahash and the Ammonites are coming to gouge your eyes out and take your stuff, probably weeping is the best recourse at this particular time.
Notice what Saul is doing. He's not hiding among the equipment anymore. He's out in the field plowing with his oxen. It's an interesting thing as well.
Why is he out in the field plowing with his oxen? Some say maybe he's out there meditating. He's musing on the new things. This is his hobby still.
Maybe he just doesn't want to be king yet. Maybe he just hasn't gotten the bearings yet. At any rate, he's out in the field. And Saul said, what troubles the people that they weep?
And they told him the words of the men of Jabesh. Now notice in verse 6. Verse 6 answers the sons of Belial at chapter 10 verse 27. Remember the sons of Belial said, how can this man save us? because the Spirit of God Most High is coming upon him.
The Spirit of the Lord rushes upon Saul when he heard this news and his anger was greatly aroused. If we had no other data concerning Saul, if all we had in the Bible was chapter 11, we would cheer for him the way we cheer for Samson, the way we cheer for Gideon, the way we cheer for Jephthah, the way we cheer for those men in the book of Judges. Chapter 11 is a sterling example of a man who has been identified as a leader, who rises to the task because of the power of the Spirit of God, and he goes out and he does business for the God of heaven and earth. This is the way that the Lord God will bring victory over Nahash and the Ammonites.
It is because of his spirit. It is because of his power. So Saul is greatly aroused. He cuts up the oxen in pieces.
Again, connection to what we find in Judges. Remember when the man cut up the concubine and sent her pieces throughout the tribes of Israel. It was a means by which You would summon the people together, but as well it was a means to call the people for retaliation. And that is precisely what Saul's action does in this particular instance.
He sends this out and he says, whoever does not go out with Saul and Samuel to battle, so it shall be done to his oxen. Notice Saul is very prudent. Saul is very wise. Saul understands the way things work.
He has been privately anointed, the lot has fallen upon him, but he has as of yet engaged in battle and thus secured the allegiance of everyone in Israel. He mentions Samuel. There is political and very good wisdom in this. Samuel is right there alongside us all.
Not while they're killing Ammonites in the heat of the day, probably. Samuel's an older man. I doubt he would be able to dispatch Ammonites. Well, actually, later on he's going to hack Agag to pieces. before the Lord and Gilgal.
So he still had some oomph in him, even in his old age. But this is a very wise and prudent thing. Whoever does not go out with Saul and Samuel to battle, so it shall be done to his oxen.
The Battle Plan
Notice the particular plan. I'm sorry. Yeah, the plan is in verses seven to nine. Fear the Lord came or fell on the people and they came out with one consent or as one man.
So he numbers the people at Bizak. You've got 300,000 in Israel and 30,000 from Judah. Interesting. We already see division there between northern and southern.
And basically the idea is shock and awe. We're going to hit them. We're going to hit them hard, we're going to hit them early, and we're going to do the job. So essentially, they make their battle plan.
The messengers then leave Gibeah and go back to Jabesh, Gilead. And the messengers then report to the men of Jabesh, Gilead, verse 9. By the time the sun is hot, you shall have hell. Then the messengers came and reported to the men of Jabesh, and they were glad.
Now, verse 10 is probably the men of Jabesh or the elders of Jabesh before Nahash. They know what the plan is now, but notice how ambiguous verse 10 is. Tomorrow we will come out to you and you may do with us whatever seems good to you. That could be interpreted a lot of ways by Nahash.
That could be, okay, we're coming out and we're going to squint or close our left eye and let you gouge out the right eye. That doesn't indicate anything whatsoever in terms of the agreement. Now the men of Jabesh Gilead know what's going on. Bezek has happened, Saul has instructed, he's informed them, and so they stand before Nahash now and they say, tomorrow we will come out to you and you may do with us whatever seems good to you.
Now notice the particular battle itself. So it was on the next day that Saul put the people in three companies, just like Gideon did in the book of Judges. And they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch. This is probably between two in the morning and six in the morning.
That's the morning watch. What's people typically doing between two and six? Typically sleeping, especially if you're Nahash and the Ammonites and you've got a collection of right eyes from the eastern tribes in Israel. you're probably not very worried that they're actually going to find a deliverer. Nahash almost says it, or allows it.
He doesn't say anything, but the fact that he lets them go for seven days seems to indicate that Nahash is pretty confident that they're not going to find a deliverer. Nahash is pretty confident that they've got this in the bag. So yeah, they probably have a few posts or a few guards out between zero, two hundred, and 0600 but what we find is they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch and killed Ammonites until the heat of the day. That's devastation.
Saul gets mad props for this strategy. Saul did very well, commendably so. God blessed with the presence of his spirit, and instead of being subjugated by Nahash and the Ammonites, instead of losing their right eyes, instead of losing Jabesh Gilead, instead of losing any Israelites in terms of Nahash capturing They kill Ammonites until the heat of the day. It happened that those who survived were scattered so that no two of them were left together.
Consolidation of Power
Then the people said to Samuel, this is the consolidation of power, you see. Now we know that Saul is God's man. Not only has there been this private anointing, not only has there been this public lot, but Saul has proven himself militarily. This was crucial.
This was absolutely necessary. And so what you have is the pro-Saul group now saying, go find the anti-Saul group. You remember those sons of Belial from chapter 10 and verse 27? Bring them to us so that we may execute them.
Because when you have a king ascend upon the throne, you don't want loose ends out there. You see this when Solomon assumes the throne. What happens when Solomon assumes the throne? Well, he consolidates power, and one of the means by which he does that is that his servants go out and destroy the opposition.
Not necessarily the foreign opposition, but the internal opposition. You see, you cannot have a secure kingdom while you have sons of Belial questioning your authority. and your ability to reign. So that is precisely what they say in verse 12. Who is he who said, shall Saul reign over us?
Bring the men that we may put them to death. This is typical. I know it seems a bit shocking to us. We would never think that this is the way it is done.
Actually, we might think it is the way it's done in current political regimes, but it's not supposed to be done that way today. But when we read this, this is pretty par for the course. As I said, when you see it in the rest of the kings in Israel or other kings, these sorts of things happen. Now notice what Saul says in verse 13.
Again, he's a sterling figure in chapter 11. Saul said, not a man shall be put to death this day. He exercises lenity, or forgiveness, or leniency toward these particular rebels, probably with the thought that now they will be on our side. Now that they have seen this decisive victory over Ammonites, certainly we have won them.
They are no longer the sons of Belial. They will be loyal subjects to the throne. But notice as well what Saul does. Saul does not parade his military prowess.
Saul does not parade his own ability. Saul does not boast. Saul is not arrogant. As I said, Saul in chapter 11 is a sterling specimen of a leader in Israel.
He says, for today, the Lord has accomplished salvation in Israel. That is commendatory on the part of this man. He gives credit and praise and honor and glory to God Most High for this victory. And then finally,
Renewal of the Kingdom
note the renewal of the kingdom in verses 14 and 15. Then Samuel said to the people, come, let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom there. Renew the kingdom there. Renewal speaks of or presupposes deterioration.
This isn't let's make something It's renew something that was already present. Probably the idea here is not their allegiance before Saul, but their allegiance before God. Their allegiance before Yahweh. Let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom there.
Let us get our act together before the Lord God most high." And then in verse 15, all the people went to Gilgal and there they made Saul king before the Lord in Gilgal. There they made sacrifices of peace offerings before the Lord, and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly. So again, before the Lord. I think at the end of chapter 10, taken by Lot refers to the political angle Here, we've got more of the religious element involved.
Certainly, this was a religious celebration. They make him king before Yahweh. They make sacrifices. They would have eaten of these sacrifices, for they were peace offerings.
And then, as well, they rejoiced greatly. So that is Saul's official rise to power. He now sits upon the throne. The judgeship is over.
Samuel will address the persons in chapter 12.
Lessons and Application
A couple of lessons, and then we conclude. First, the redemptive historical movement. This is huge in Israel's history. I've mentioned this before, and I'll mention it again.
Monarchy occupies a large amount of Israel's history. I really believe, as a pastor, as a Christian man, that every person who names the name of Christ should have some basic understanding of what's going on in Israel's history. I don't know how you can make heads or tails out of the prophets, I don't know how you can make heads or tails out of these historical books. I don't know how you can make heads or tails out of much of the Old Testament if you don't have a few key dates in your mind.
And so I really encourage you to make sure that you follow along and you pay attention and you see sort of the major workings. Ask Roger, he's got a timeline. Or he's developing a timeline. I'm sorry to put you on the spot here.
But it is an accurate depiction of the times and events and what kings and what prophets. That's crucial. I mean, we are Christians. Where did our Christianity come from?
It came from, originally, the promise of God in Genesis 3.15. That promise developed over the ages, comes to fruition in the inauguration of the new covenant. by our Lord Jesus Christ. This is our history. We need to know this history.
We need to understand it. We need to move, or we need to see the movement from judgeship to monarchy and the significance of that. It's an interesting turn of phrase. I think it's when Solomon sits on the throne.
At the end of 1 Chronicles. 1 Chronicles chapter 29. Turn there for just a moment. Just in case you're not convinced that you should really probably pay attention to the kings in Israel. Notice what happens when Solomon is enthroned.
First Chronicles 29, 21. And they made sacrifices to the Lord and offered burnt offerings to the Lord on the next day. A thousand bowls, a thousand rams, a thousand lambs with their drink offerings and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel. So they ate and drank before the Lord with great gladness on that day.
And they made Solomon the son of David king the second time and anointed him before the Lord to be the leader and Zadok to be priest. Then Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord. You see that? Solomon sat on the throne of Yahweh as king instead of David, his father, and prospered and all Israel obeyed him.
What the kingdom in Israel typifies is God's kingdom. It's not, you know, when we speak of the kingdom of God, it's not just isolated to Israel. But certainly Israel was typical of what is the kingdom of God. Such that when Solomon sits down, he's sitting on the throne of Yahweh.
I mean this is a very peculiar and a very special people that is occupying this property under God's leading. Secondly, we see the grace behind Israel's deliverance. The monarchy started as a result of rebellion. The monarchy started as a result of a rejection of the God of heaven and earth.
And nevertheless, God blesses the exploits of Saul, and chapter 11 ends with Israel rejoicing before God. And as I said earlier, we need to appreciate that God works through imperfect means. Sometimes you might look around at the church and say, how in the world is it ever going to progress? How in the world is it ever going to advance?
How in the world is it ever going to make it to heaven? Because Jesus is her builder, and Jesus has promised, and Jesus works through even imperfect means. Again, do not take this as license to go out and sin, because after all, God's going to bless us. No, we pursue holiness, we pursue righteousness, we seek to obey the Father, but we must realize that we will fail, we will sin, we will do horrible things from time to time, But nevertheless, God has his purpose and he will see it through, even as he did through the rebellion of Israel in the midst of the days of Saul.
Thirdly, the power behind Israel's deliverance. It's the spirit. I've already mentioned that verse 6 is the answer to what the sons of Belial ask in chapter 10 verse 27. Listen to what Davis says on this verse.
He says, Israel cannot afford to miss the point. Salvation came not because Israel had a king, but because the king had God's spirit. You see, this is crucial. We want a king so that he can fight and win battles for us.
They weren't victorious because of Saul. They were victorious, and thankfully Saul highlights that reality because of God. So he says salvation came not because Israel had a king, but because the king had God's spirit. It is not the institution of kingship, but the power of the spirit that brings deliverance.
Nor can the church afford to miss this point. It is simply Christ's Old Testament way of saying, without me, you can do nothing. That's a great parallel statement that he makes reference to. And then finally, we should appreciate chapter 11, verse 1.
Then Nahash the Ammonite came up and encamped against Jabesh Gilead. Nahash and the Ammonites are but one historical example of the continual opposition of God-haters toward the people of God. Jesus says if, you know, They hated me, they're going to hate you. Paul says in this world, or Paul says all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
Let us learn from the Old Testament that God ultimately protects his people. God keeps them. God grants them victory, God brings them to that place where he has purposed, and God will most certainly secure us even in the midst of attack through Nahash and his Ammonite companions. The Lord God most high knows how to deal with his enemies.
And just as he raised up a Saul to go and kill Ammonites until the heat of the day, certainly he has men. He has ultimately his spirit by which he is able to deal with the opposition. Well, let us pray and ask God to help us to take these things to heart.
Closing Prayer
Father, we thank you that your grace is displayed even in the midst of imperfection. We see that Israel here cried out in rebellion and rejection. And nevertheless, you delivered them from their enemies. We thank you for this.
We thank you for the fact that you give us the Holy Spirit. You give us the ability to resist the things that oppose us in this world. Help us to see that this is our dependence. This is our might, our power.
It's not our own strength. And we thank you, God, for your kindness and your mercy and for your graciousness to your church. And in light of this passage, we think of Matthew 16 and the promise of Christ that he will build his church. And we pray that it would advance, that it would progress, and that it would grow and that more and more people would come to know Christ as Lord and Savior.
And we pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.